Seven fire crews are working to bring a fire under control in Newton Abbot after six cars were found “well alight”.

Smoke and flames could be seen billowing across the Milber Trading estate after a large pile of stacked scrap cars caught fire.

Fire crews have brought the fire under control but will remain at the scene for several hours this morning.

People living nearby have been told to keep their doors and windows shut because of toxic smoke.

The estate has been closed off to cars, causing problems for people on their way to work.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service received numerous calls from members of the public at about 06:20 reporting a fire at Milber Salvage and Spares, a scrapyard on the Milber Trading Estate in the town.

Two engines from Torquay and Newton Abbot were immediately sent to the scene and on arrival, the officer in charge ordered five more.

These engines came from Torquay and Paignton, along with a unit from Totnes.

Crews are currently working with breathing apparatus, attack jets and ground monitors to bring the fire under control, the fire service said.

Key Events

Video from the scene

More pictures from Guy Henderson at the scene

(Image: Guy Henderson)

09:20

Firefighters 'have been brilliant'

Kerry Hunt, a director of the family salvage firm Milber Salvage and Spares praised the firefighters for a ‘magnificent job’.

She said people coming to work at nearby kitchen firm Wignalls had raised the alarm at around 6.20am. She said they had no idea how the fire had started in the baled cars and stressed that they had all been ‘de-polluted’.

She said: “The firefighters have done really well. They really have been brilliant.”

09:18

Mechanical grabber used to reduce the size of stack of cars

Fire service group manager Rob Schneider explained that fire fighters were using less ater as the fire progressed to prevent fluid getting into nearby housing area.

“They were also warning residents in the nearby homes to keep their windows closed due to smoke billowing across the trading estate.

He said: “The alarm was raised around 6.20am. The fire started in a couple of cars that had been brought in over the weekend and spread into a large stack of baled cars which had already been crushed. We have been using a mechanical grab to reduce the size of the stack because there was a risk of the stack collapsing.

“This is still an active fire. We have sent the message out to people to keep their windows shut because there is still plastic in the smoke, even though the cars have been environmentally prepared.”

He said there were five pumps and a command vehicle currently at the scene. The main purpose was to contain the fire so that an investigation could take place.

He said they were decreasing the number of hoses used to prevent water possibly contaminating nearby streams.

He added that there could be firefighters at the scene for some time.

09:10KEY EVENT

Guy Henderson reports from the scene at the Milber Salvage scrapyard

DevonLive.com reporter Guy Henderson at the scene said: “It is still quite dramatic here at the moment.

“I am at Milber Salvage and Spares on the Milber Trading Estate which is a scrapyard.

“The industrial estate is closed to traffic which is causing a lot of issues for people getting to work. They can walk to work but they have to find somewhere to leave their cars.

“There is a lot of smoke and flames and the smoke is being blown by the wind.

“The cars involved had already been scrapped and are in a big pile.

“The cars are still on fire but it is under control.

“There is a lot of smoke and mainly steam billowing out across the estate and quite a few people have gathered around to watch.”